John Jephson


Sir John Jephson was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1621 and 1625.
Jephson was the son of William Jephson of Froyle, Hampshire and his wife Mary Dannett, daughter of John Dannett of Dannett's Hall, Leicestershire. In 1603, he was knighted by Sir George Carew. He served in the army and became a major-general. In 1621, Jephson was elected Member of Parliament for Hampshire. In 1624, he was elected Member of Parliament for Petersfield and was re-elected MP for Petersfield in 1625.
Jephson married firstly Elizabeth Norreys, only daughter of Sir Thomas Norreys, Lord President of Munster and Bridget Kingsmill. She brought the Norreys family estates at Mallow, County Cork and elsewhere into the Jephson family: Mallow Castle remained in the family until 1984. They had seven children, four sons and three daughters. She died in 1623 and he married secondly Mary Ruish, widow of Sir Francis Ruish and formerly of Richard Gifford, and daughter of Sir Henry Duke of Castlejordan and Elizabeth Brabazon.
Jephson was the father of William Jephson, a leading politician of the 1640s and 1650s, and a close ally of Oliver Cromwell. Two of his other sons, John and Norreys, were distinguished Army officers.